Indiana Soccer News Article

Home> About CHILDREN UNDER 14 YEARS OLD WILL BE ABLE TO BECOME SOCCER REFEREES AFTER GOVERNOR PENCE SIGNS THE CHILD LABOR LAWS BILL SB 153

CHILDREN UNDER 14 YEARS OLD WILL BE ABLE TO BECOME SOCCER REFEREES AFTER GOVERNOR PENCE SIGNS THE CHILD LABOR LAWS BILL SB 153

Governor Mike Pence signed this week the child labor laws bill, SB 153, which would exempt a child who is employed or works as a youth athletic program referee, umpire, or official from the state's child labor law.

This was accomplished after the Indiana Soccer referee, Matthew Burkart, 13, testified before a House committee that he couldn’t get a job as a soccer referee last year because of child labor laws. He said changing the law would be important to get kids off the couch and the House agreed, voting 92-4 in favor of the bill that adds soccer ref to the list of jobs kids under 14 can do. Before the bill was signed, the list included only farm work, newspaper carrier or golf caddy.

Matthew Burkart was accompanied and supported by the President of Indiana Soccer, Murray Clark, who was always with Matthew throughout the process.

The Indiana Soccer State Referee Committee is currently working on putting an “Entry Level Referee Course” for those children under 14 to be certified. Stay tuned with the date and location by clicking on the following link: REFEREE CLINICS.